Two Shepherds Bechthold Vineyard Cinsault 2022
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The Land
Lodi has a reputation for big, warm-climate Zinfandel, which makes the most historically important vineyard in the appellation a strange fit. Bechthold Vineyard was planted in 1886 and is the oldest surviving Cinsault planting anywhere in the world. The vines are head-trained, dry-farmed, and still on their own roots after nearly 140 years, sitting on deep sandy soils in the Mokelumne River sub-appellation. Sand is the reason they survived: phylloxera cannot move through it. The other reason Lodi works better than its reputation suggests is the Delta breeze, cold air pulled inland from San Francisco Bay every afternoon, which drops night temperatures sharply and preserves acidity in a place that reads hot on a map.
The Wine
100% Cinsault from Bechthold. The fruit comes in whole cluster, gets a light foot tread, and ferments semi-carbonic in small three-quarter-ton picking bins, then goes straight to neutral French oak puncheons without settling for around seven months of elevage. No new oak, no fining, minimal handling. That method is built to protect a grape with naturally low color and low tannin rather than to compensate for it. The wine is pale, almost translucent, with wild strawberry, red plum, dried rose, orange peel, and a peppery, dusty finish. Body is light, acidity is high, tannin is fine and barely there. 2022 brought an extreme Labor Day heat event across interior California, and the year rewarded producers who picked ahead of it and kept extraction light.
The People
William Allen started Two Shepherds in 2010 as a micro-winery focused on Rhone varieties that nobody else in California was taking seriously; Karen Daenen joined as a partner in 2015. They work out of Windsor in Sonoma County, where they hand-farm a small organic Grenache and Grenache Gris vineyard of their own, with a donkey turning the soil in winter and a cat handling the gophers. For everything else they lease specific rows from small family-owned growers on long-term contracts, farming those blocks to their own specifications. Bechthold is farmed sustainably and dry-farmed, and Two Shepherds is one of a handful of producers trusted with fruit from it.
Food Pairing
Light, high-acid, and peppery, so it belongs with food rather than in front of it. Grilled pork chops with peaches and thyme, salmon with herb butter, mushroom and gruyere tart, or a plate of soft cheeses and charcuterie all work. The acidity handles fat and the low tannin means it will not clash with fish or spice. Serve it at 55 to 60 degrees; this is a red that gets meaningfully better with 20 minutes in the fridge and meaningfully worse at room temperature.
We ship wine to most states with a $100 minimum order for shipping. We don't ship spirits nor beer.
Weather shipping advisory: Orders placed during times of extreme heat or extreme cold will be held for no charge until more favorable weather returns.
This region includes wines labeled "North Coast", which are often blends including Sonoma and Napa counties. This expansive area encompasses established regions like Mendocino and Lake Counties, as well as newer vineyard sites pushing towards the Oregon border. Mendocino County is known for its varied climates, from the Anderson Valley's cool, fog-influenced areas ideal for Pinot Noir and sparkling wine, to warmer inland spots. Lake County, further inland, offers volcanic soils and a warmer climate suitable for Cabernet Sauvignon and other varieties. Beyond these, even more northerly locations are being explored for their unique terroir, contributing to the evolving identity of California's northern wine production.
California - North Coast & Far North
"Unknown" farming method indicates that the specific vineyard practices used to produce the wine have not yet been clearly identified or verified. Due to limited publicly available information, complexity of research, or lack of transparency from certain wineries, it can sometimes be challenging to accurately categorize each vineyard's farming practices. Our team is actively working to research and update our records to provide the most accurate information on every wine we offer. We understand the importance of transparency and sustainability and strive to categorize and communicate farming methods as quickly and comprehensively as possible.
